Poems of James McIntyre Part 16

Canada proves her devotion To her who rules o'er land and sea, For loyal thoughts do hearts inspire, To make more glorious empire.

'Tis fifty years since Queen was crowned, Her brow with golden circlet bound, She was a girl, graceful, fair, And has felt joy and anxious care.

Happy years of married life She enjoyed as Albert's wife, But Albert died, the wise and good, And she was left in widowhood.

In her reign the power of steam On land and sea became supreme, And all now have strong reliance In fresh victories of science.

For man doth lightning now employ And uses it for message boy, And when he wants a brilliant light, Electric orbs do s.h.i.+ne most bright.

Britain's empire is extending, Truth and justice ever blending, May strife and discord ever cease, And jubilee inaugurate peace.

WARS IN QUEEN VICTORIA'S REIGN.

We will now sing in thoughtful strain Of wars in Queen Victoria's reign.

The Russian bear did ages lurk, All ready for to spring on Turk, For Russian statesmen did divine That they should conquer Constantine, But like a greyhound after hare The Lion did drive back the Bear, And made it feel the British rule At gates of strong Sebastopol.

Then insolent was Persia, Till Lion had to dictate law, And while engaged in scenes like these He was attacked by the Chinese, And for this outrage all so wanton He then resolved to seize on Canton.

But soon there came a dismal cry Of slaughter'd Britons from Delhi, The Bengal Tiger sick with gore Did tremble at the Lion's roar, But Britain got a serious shock By losing of brave Havelock, But Campbell 'mid a numerous foe Full quick these armed hosts did o'erthrow, In Abyssinian dungeons vile Lay captives of Great Britain's isle, But soon the tyrant Theodore Lay sadly weltering in his gore.

The savage tribes of Ashantee From British troops did quickly flee, In Afghan and Zulu wars Many did find their deadly scars; In the land of the Pharaohs The Christians suffered cruel woes, Till in Alexandria Bay The British iron clads did display, The mighty power they did wield, While their steel sides from harm did s.h.i.+eld, And British army on the land Marched bravely o'er the burning sand, And Arabi found 'twas useless labor, His strong trench of Tel-el-Kebir, Egyptians did not wish to feel In their b.r.e.a.s.t.s cold British steel, Their great power was soon laid low And Wolseley entered Grand Cairo.

Egyptians now no more revile The Christians on the banks of Nile.

We have sung three heroes' names.

Havelock from the land of Thames, And Campbell from the banks of Clyde, And Wolseley from Liffy's side, When rose, thistle, shamrock unite They do prove victors in the fight, Now Britain once more does command Respect alike on sea and land, But now may wars forever cease And mankind ever live in peace.

CRIMEAN WAR.

At the announcement that Britain was to declare war Kossuth the Hungarian Patriot declared in an address in England that the British Lion was a sea dog but helpless on land.

When the British Lion offered aid to the Turk, Round many lips a sneer of serious doubt did lurk, They said he was at home on sea, but when on land He would be as a s.h.i.+p wrecked upon the strand, Or like some huge ungainly crocodile Upon the marshy banks of sluggish Nile, Who could move gaily on the deep But on dry land could scarcely creep, But up the Alma heights he rushed like greyhound after hare, And in a moment by the throat he seized the Russian bear, Which begged so hard for mercy his life he did it spare, And closely now it is confined within its native lair, For its strong fortress of Sebastpol Was forced to submit to Great Britain's rule.

INDIAN MUTINY.

British infants who were n.o.bly born Were from their bleeding mother's bosom torn, And with the bayonet dashed upon the street There left to lie for native dogs to eat.

But the British Lion he quick o'erthrew, Both the high and the low Hindoo, Now they respect the Christian laws For fear of British Lion's paws.

BEAR AND WHALE.

A fable of the British and Russian dispute of 1885.

Russians suffer sad distress For lack of freedom of the press, But oft' times they are full able To enlighten with a fable.

And they enjoy a humorous tale Of a bear and monster whale, The bear he went to the sea sh.o.r.e The mighty ocean to explore.

And this it quick enraged the whale Who beat the ocean with his tail, With foaming words he told the bear That he would strip his hide and hair.

If he ever found him more Encroaching on his sea sh.o.r.e, The bear replied I will not quail At frothing words of any whale.

For you are a lump of blubber, Whale rejoined you are land lubber, Thus bandying epithets so vile, Of bear grease and of whale oil.

Sharks and fishes of the ocean Were thrown into great commotion, The hawks and eagles of the air, Lions and tigers gathered there.

Bear he wished the whale to slaughter, But he was afraid of water, The great whale feared that he might strand If he ventured on the dry land.

So at last great Russia Bear Went back again to his own lair, And British whale content to be Greatest monarch of the sea.

GORDON AND BURNABY, 1885.

When the Chinese did rebel, Gordon alone he could them quell, With justice they his name revere, The man who bullets did not fear.

It seemed as if his life had charm That spear or lance could never harm, He went alone this wondrous man To fight false prophet of Soudan.

a.s.sistance it arrives too late, And traitors they have oped the gate, To meet the foe he doth advance, But fatal wound receives from lance.

And Britons all they do take pride In Burnaby's Asiatic ride, Russian mysteries to discover, He crossed many a plain and river.

And his brave spirit led the van To relieve Gordon in Soudan, With his strong arm every blow Laid at his feet some Arab foe.

But strong brave man who knew no fear, He was transfixed by Arab spear, And thus brave men their lives have lost, Of war let nations never boast.

Unless it is in self defence, Then they have glorious recompense, But arts of peace they should be prized By nations truly Christianized.

ENGLISH POETS.

Tercentenary ode on Shakespeare read by the author at the anniversary concert, 1864.

Three centuries have pa.s.sed away Since that most famous April day, When the sweet, gentle Will was born, Whose name the age will e're adorn.